Drake named a top 200 school, and #1 in Iowa for “Best Value School” Drake University was once again ranked among the top 200 best colleges in the nation — this time in the U.S. News and World Report national university rankings, competing against the largest universities in the country. The news comes just weeks after receiving similar accolades from The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 College Pulse Ranking. U.S. News also ranked Drake as the #1 private school in Iowa within its national university rankings. According to the U.S. News national university ranking methodology*, Drake also secured high marks in several...
Drake Welcomes the Most Diverse Entering Student Class in University History
Highest percentage of diversity, first-generation, and Pell-eligible students on record As students across the country settle into a new school year, Drake University is welcoming new undergraduate students to campus — and it is the most diverse group of students in the University’s 143-year history. The University is proud to report the diversity of the new undergraduate student population is 37.4%. This includes entering first-year (EFR) and transfer students seeking bachelor’s degrees at Drake as well as first-year and transfer students seeking associate degrees from Drake’s John Dee Bright College. Specifically, the diversity of EFR students joining Drake is 35.3%,...
The Wall Street Journal ranks Drake University as #1 Private School in Iowa
Return on investment of a Drake education among top 3 percent in the nation Drake University was ranked the top private school in Iowa for the second year in a row and among the top 200 best colleges in the U.S. by The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 College Pulse Rankings. Among all Iowa schools, Drake ranked highest in Salary Impact Score (a rating of graduate salaries relative to the cost of attending), as well as the Value Added to Graduate Salary score (value added to graduates’ median salary attributable to attending the college). These rankings from The Wall Street Journal...
Faculty and Staff AccomplishmentsOfficial News ReleasesSchool of Journalism and Mass Communication
Drake University’s Dr. Kelly Bruhn Inducted into PRSA College of Fellows
Dr. Kelly Bruhn, APR, Professor of Public Relations and Associate Dean of the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), has been inducted into the prestigious Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) College of Fellows. This honor is reserved for the nation’s most esteemed public relations professionals. Bruhn is now one of only four living PRSA Fellows in Iowa, and notably, all four share a strong connection to Drake University. This highlights the consistent excellence of Drake’s SJMC in cultivating ethical and expert communicators. The other living Iowa members of the College of Fellows are Kevin Waetke (Drake...
Windows Update Process Changing Thu., Aug. 17
To improve security and keep devices up to date, ITS staff are changing how Windows updates are installed on University-issued computers. Starting this Thursday, August 17, Windows updates will automatically install after 5 p.m. If a restart is needed, you’ll have one week to complete it. This change shortens the update window from 28 days to just 7, helping ensure devices stay secure with less user effort. Most updates won’t require a restart so you may not notice any difference, but when you do, the process should be smoother and more seamless. If you have questions or concerns about this...
Drake University Announces New Board of Trustee Chair; Appoints Four New Trustees
Drake University is pleased to announce that Paul Schickler has been appointed as the new Chair of Drake’s Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees also welcomes four new members: Cain Hayes, Craig Ibsen, Jeff Lorenzen and Alessa Quane. The incoming trustees were approved by the Board earlier this year and began their initial three-year term of service on July 1, 2025. “Continuing to elevate Drake’s position as a premier, national liberal arts institution requires bold vision and brilliant leadership. That is precisely what we are gaining with our new trustees and with Paul Schickler stepping into the role of...
2025 Iowa Pharmacy Association Meeting recognizes outstanding contributions by Drake University alumni, faculty and current students
The Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) presented awards to Drake University alumni, faculty and a current student at its Annual Meeting, which took place on June 5 and 6 in Des Moines. These prestigious awards recognize exceptional service to the profession of pharmacy. Cheryl Clarke, Professor Emerita of Pharmacy Practice, received the Thomas R. Temple Mentorship Award. This award recognizes an individual who “has mentored, supported and sponsored pharmacists in a transformative way,” according to the IPA. Clarke graduated from Drake’s Pharmacy program in 1986, then returned to Drake as a professor in 2009. Clarke served as the Assistant Dean for...
Law School News
Annual Cady Day of Public Service Planned for Friday, Oct. 17
The 2025 state-wide Mark S. Cady Day of Public Service (Cady Day) will take place on Friday, Oct. 17. This will mark the 6th year that members of the Iowa legal community have come together to perform public service or pro bono work to honor the legacy of the late Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady. Cady’s career as a public servant spanned nearly four decades and was marked by his devotion to the pursuit of justice for all Iowans. The Cady Day of Service brings together hundreds of volunteers who give back to their communities through legal clinics,...
Website Issue – 7/8/25
ITS staff became aware of an issue with the www.drake.edu and news.drake.edu websites being unavailable both on and off campus. After a brief investigation, we were able to restore service. This issue did not impact any other services on campus. If you’re experiencing technology issues, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall. To receive SMS outage notifications, opt in by texting DrakeITSALERTS to phone 226787. Make sure you’re signed up to receive text Bulldog Alerts; check your settings via myDrake.
Official News Releases
Senacyt and Drake University Formalize Collaboration to Advance Technology and AI Education in Panama
Drake University and Panama’s National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Senacyt) have formalized a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening academic quality and technological innovation. The agreement, signed by Dr. Eduardo Ortega Barría, National Secretary of Senacyt, and Marty Martin, President of Drake University, establishes a roadmap for joint efforts to promote and implement Panama’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, aligned with the country’s efforts to enhance its technological innovation and digital capabilities. “Responsible global citizenship is written into our mission at Drake University, and we approach global engagement in a way that leverages our key strengths to address specific...
ITS News & Announcements
Fiscal Year End Maintenance: 6/30 – 7/1
Due to required end of fiscal year maintenance, Banner Admin Pages, TouchNet, and portions of Self Service will be unavailable beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2025 through 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience you experience. If you experience issues after the maintenance is complete, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall. To see the full 2025 maintenance schedule, visit drake.edu/its/maintenanceschedule.
Planned Maintenance on Sun 6/29: ITS databases
ITS staff will be performing maintenance on our Oracle databases this Sunday, June 29 between 7 – 9 a.m. During this time, Drake systems including Self Service, Banner, ProcessMaker, eTranscripts, Touchnet, and others may be unavailable. This work is necessary to maintain the security of University data. If you experience issues after the maintenance is complete, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall. To see the full 2025 maintenance schedule, visit drake.edu/its/maintenanceschedule.
Law School Spotlights
Reigniting the Fire: Finding Purpose in the Children’s Rights Clinic
Mackenzie Roberts is a rising third-year law student at Drake Law School. She was a student attorney in the Children’s Rights Clinic during the Spring 2025 semester where she represented children in juvenile delinquency, child welfare, minor guardianship, and immigration matters before the Polk County Juvenile Court and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. After my 1L year, I felt burnt out. The whirlwind of cold calls, casebooks, and curve-induced self-doubt had left me wondering if the version of me who came to law school, driven by a desire to fight for others, had gotten lost somewhere along the way. But...